Have you ever felt so impressed with your pictures and when you show them to your audiences, the feedback fell flat? It feels so discouraging when your audiences don’t share the same enthusiasm as you. The tips below are to help you take impressive pictures and to elicit the feeling within your viewers.
1. Human subject
Many landscape photographers like to take the natural scenes without any humans inside the pictures. They claim that having a person in the photo somehow creates an awkward feeling. Although what they claim is correct, you are however, limiting yourself from experiencing the full potential of digital photography.
Combining people into your landscape pictures can actually create different feeling to your pictures. The different expression of the human subject can help to make the pictures livelier. Imagine you are looking at the picture of a group of people cheering the sun rise on the mountain peak. Can you feel the same energy? Doesn’t it made you want to be there?
Although landscape pictures have their own unique attraction, adding people to the pictures can create different vibe to it and in fact make the pictures livelier.
2. Reflection
To the contrary of common belief, taking pictures in front of mirrors can be easy and fun. You can try this when you are taking portrait photography and it is like creating a duplicate of your subject.
And to make your pictures even more spectacular, you can take pictures using the reflection of water, recently polished surface of some metals or even a Christmas tree ball. You should see how your subject can be distorted with the reflection of the Christmas tree ball. It is funny.
However, when you are taking picture with reflection, you need to be careful not to catch the reflection of yourself or the flash in the picture.
3. Panorama
Have you ever been amazed with the majestic view of the mountains and yet fail to include all of them into your pictures? Although you can correct this problem by changing to a wide angle lens, but what if you don’t have the lens?
When that happens, you can continue to take the pictures and stitch the pictures into a panorama with photo editing software to bring out the complete breath taking landscape.
John: Trevor, you’ve shot bloody-faced polar bears, pristine operating rooms, women in Vegas, winter camping and Olympic athletes in your studio. If we were going to hang a label on you as a photographer, what would it be?
Trevor: Years ago I was showing my work to some photographer reps in NYC and one of them said, “I’m not sure what to do with you – you’re a Generalist! You shoot everything. Just pick one thing, and then I’ll know what I could do with you.” Being called a Generalist was like some sort of foul language. Maybe that’s why I gravitated towards stock photography. I really enjoy being able to shoot lots of different styles of photography, it keeps things interesting, and I love being able to draw on all those different experiences. I think shooting one particular style or subject matter would bore the hell out of me.
John: How did you get into photography?
Trevor: I freelanced for newspapers while still in high school. Then worked with a studio in my home town, before heading off to photography school. After graduation, I assisted for several years with a variety of studios, and freelanced for a number of photographers as well. I really tried to expose myself to as many different types of photography as possible. I truly feel that assisting was the best education I could have given myself, and I eventually started taking on more of a shooting responsibility with those studios.
My first experience with stock photography was working with a studio on a contract they had to produce custom stock for Microsoft. I spent a summer shooting table top stuff in their studio. Interesting to start learning about the pressures cost-per-image and return-per-image can put on you.
Next, I was hired by Hemera to be the Lead Photographer for their in-house photographic production team. I worked with that company for about two years, producing about 15,000 images for their Ablestock brand. After that I realized how much I loved shooting stock. I set out again on my own. The first agencies I signed with were Iconica , Uppercut, and Jupiterimages.
John: You shoot a really wide range of subject matter, both in the studio and on location. What do you enjoy shooting the most?
Trevor: Every shoot brings its own set of challenges and unique energy. I think that’s what I love about a career in photography – the variety! I love being in the middle of a huge production with lots of locations, models, and crew! At the same time, it can be equally rewarding to be shooting food with my wife on our kitchen table. Plus there’s always something around the corner that will test me in new ways, like photographing a surgery for a healthcare client or winter camping for a book publisher.
John: For you, what is the most challenging aspect of being a professional photographer?
Trevor: The biggest challenge for me has always been trying to find the time to work on all of the different projects I want to work on – and of course, balancing it with a busy family life at home.
John: I know you shoot stock for Blend Images. What percentage of your business is stock and what agencies do you work with?
Trevor: The majority of my business is stock. I think Blend Images is doing some great things right now, and they have a fantastic relationship with their contributing photographers. I’ve really enjoyed working with Veer as well.
Also, I’ve kept myself very busy with Jupiterimages in the past. Great relationship with them over the last 4 years – producing about 6000 selected images a year. Plus, I have images with a handful of other agencies as well.
John: How do you determine which agency to send work to?
Trevor: I don’t spend a lot of time shooting unsolicited images and trying to find a home for them after the fact. I work closely with my editors at each agency, so that I focus my efforts on producing images that the agencies have a need for.
John: Do you do any direct sales?
Trevor: I’ve never done any direct sales. I think that will change in the near future.
John: Does Micro stock have any allure for you?
Trevor: I’ve been approached by a few different agencies, but I’ve never shot Micro. Maybe that will change if the right scenario presents itself. At this point I’m focusing my efforts on Rights Managed and direct sales.
John: Do you have any plans to move into video?
Trevor: Yes. At the moment, I’m looking for the right project to collaborate on, with a friend of mine who’s an incredible cameraman.
John: What are some of the challenges facing stock photographers these days?
Trevor: I think the biggest challenge is deciding where to put your images. Will there be a resurgence in Rights Managed? Has Royality Free become too bloated? Is there still time to make money in Micro? Will I recover my investment before the industry shifts again?
John: Do you see your involvement in stock photography changing?
Trevor: I see me moving away from the high-volume work I’ve been doing in the past, towards a much more targeted approach. Less images with more added value.
John: What currently is your favorite image?
Trevor: I’m so bad for this… I think I may have ADD or something because I’m always flip flopping on new favorites, then I see older images and I get excited by them all over again. I was in Mexico a few years ago with Willie McElligott, a friend who was teaching a photo workshop.
While driving to a location for the morning shoot we came across a farmer herding sheep along the side of the road. I made an image of a lamb being carried by one of the horses. It became one of my favorite images from the trip. No production, just a simple photograph.
John: Getting back to the assignment world, how do you market yourself?
Trevor: Most of my assignment work is spin off from subjects and locations I’ve sourced for stock photography productions. Other than that, it’s a mix of good ol’ cold calls and introductions from editorial shoots. I wish I had a better answer. I think I just like getting in the same room with people and selling myself. I enjoy building relationships.
John: What role does the internet play in your marketing? Do you have any plans to expand that role?
Trevor: I’m still very new to the Social Media scene, but I love it and I see amazing potential! I have a presence with the usual suspects like a website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc.
At the moment, most of my existing clients are not very involved so I’m looking for the best Social Media to reach them. An editorial client of mine has been discussing building something more interactive that I would have a large presence on. I’m pretty excited by the initial conversations, but we are still in the early stages.
John: Any photographers that have influenced your career?
Trevor: The earliest inspiration I can recall is in 1988 when I was still in High School. Sports Illustrated ran a story of Muhammad Ali and his entourage shot by Gregory Heisler. Beautiful black and white portraits. I had never seen anything like that.
Years later I heard a talk he gave to RIT called The Appropriate Response. He spoke of the virtues of being a well-rounded photographer, and being able to draw from a diverse pool of photographic styles and techniq
ues. It stuck with me for a long time.
More recently, I’ve been so damn lucky to be able to call so many incredible photographers not only influences, but friends as well. The photographers who make up Blend Images are probably the most open, encouraging, and inspiring people I’ve been fortunate enough to sit in the same room with.
John: Can you tell us about a memorable shoot that you have had?
Trevor: Hard to narrow it down… but I will say that I’ve been fortunate to have been a part of some Arctic Expeditions with a group called Students On Ice. An amazing organization that brings students from all over the world to the Polar regions to provide them with an intimate educational experience at the ends of the earth.
Documenting the expeditions has been a unique challenge for me, as I’ve never really considered myself a documentary photographer. I’m so used to being in control of the situation when I’m on set, and making great images as they unfold all around you is an excellent way to reexamine your skills as a photographer.
Besides the experience of working in such close proximity to Polar Bears, Walrus, Bird Colonies, Whales, Glaciers, and Icebergs – it’s the people you get to share this experience with. The team of scientists, historians, artists, authors, educators, polar experts, and the Inuit community, are incredibly open and passionate about sharing their knowledge and experiences with everyone around them.
These are excellent virtues that I think we should all adopt into our daily lives.
John: Do you do personal work?
Trevor: No personal projects at the moment – maybe this is the year!
John: Do you do your own digital work?
Trevor: When the stock production has been really high-volume I would send the retouching to a great freelancer in Montreal I’ve worked with for years.
John: Do you have a staff?
Trevor: No staff – just me. Some great freelancers help out from time to time when the workload gets too heavy. But for the most part, I just don’t sleep a heck of a lot anymore! Especially with a 3 year old and a 1 year old at home as well!!
John: Optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
Trevor: Even though it may seem absurd at times, I can’t help being really excited by all of the changes that are happening in the industry. New technology in imaging equipment… new developments in web 2.0…the shift in the industry of being more open and community focused… We’re on the verge of some truly important times in image making and storytelling.
We always prefer to visit places which are fabulous with many facilities like good place to stay, good hotels to eat, excellent places to hang around and finally a nice place for shopping. One of the cities that contain all the facility in United States is Chicago. It is called as the windy city. In fact it is the land mark of United States. We can even call that city as the best city of United States though the other cities are also well developed with many facilities. So, one must necessarily capture all the places that we visit there. This will remain as a life long memory for us. Just imagine how nice it would be to see such beautiful areas in photos.
Photography is the first thing that comes to our mind when we go on for a tour that too Chicago is a beautiful place. Who ever goes there would like to take photographs. Chicago has many wonderful places which one must not miss to visit and enjoy. The buildings and structure over there are very different and are unique in the way they are build. These things are to be definitely photographed. Photography is an art. It needs some creativity in order to take quality pictures. If a person is very much good in taking photographs then it is well and good. Even others can take photos. But in order to increase the beauty of the place it needs some extra efforts.
Each and every place in Chicago will be excellent. Some of the places are Statue of Great Lake, Chicago Museum, Chicago River, Lakeshore, etc are the few places. The view of the lake at the dawn and dusk will be very beautiful. And at night times the view of the river will also be very beautiful. If we are good enough to capture these places well then we can get beautiful photos which we can see in future and show it to others and enjoy. If one starts to take photos there, then they will be attracted very much to the places and can not stop taking photographs. It is such an amazing place. If one is making plan to go for a tour then Chicago is the best place. One must surely not forget to take their camera along with them. Visiting the place without taking photographs of the place is like missing the tour.
If one wishes to get more information on the beauty and the places of Chicago then they can log on to Chicago photography. One can get all the details on the places that they want to know about.
Trail Cameras
R. Dodge Woodson
World Photographers Organization
I looked into trail cameras recently. My son wanted on to monitor our woods with, and I thought it might put a new spin on my wildlife photography. No, I am not suggesting that anyone use trail cameras to capture wildlife photos for sale or display. The pictures you get, however, can put you in the right area with your wildlife gear.
Much of the time spent afield by wildlife photographers to establish details on their intended subjects. Granted, kicking around the woods is a great way to spend a day. But, if you have limited time and need some specific wildlife images, a trail camera can be a big help.
Let’s use my land as an example. I have well over 100 acres for critters to live in. Where are they? What watering locations are they using? Is there a particular area where they are feeding? All of these questions can be answered with the application of good woodsman skills, but a trail camera can tell you more in less time.
Let’s say that I know a large whitetail buck is walking a particular old woods road. His tracks show me where he likes to get his water from. I can estimate his weight from the depression depth of the tracks, but how big are the antlers? Try figuring that one out with basic tracking and hunting skills.
A trail camera can capture a picture of my wandering buck and I will be able to see precisely how many points can be counted on the animal’s rack. Ah, how could it get any better than this? Well, believe it or not, it can. I recommend to members of World Photographers Organization that they used trail cameras to increase scouting for better wildlife photography.
Imagine that you are in your office making deals. As you talk on the speaker phone, read some briefs, and toy with your computer, you are shaken back to attention by a passing bear. What? A bear at your office? Not quite. The bear is on a live feed on your computer monitor. That’s right, your trail camera has a video feed and has locked onto a strolling bear. The trail cam sends a signal to a modem. Then the modem uses a cellular connection to send the video footage to your computer. You are talking about selling a hotel and watching a bear walk along your favorite game trail at the same time.
Okay, enough of setting the stage. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of trail cameras. Our goal here is to look at them as tools for wildlife photographers who have limited time to spend in the field.
How Many Megapixels?
What kind of quality can you expect from the various types of trail cameras? Each camera has its own features and benefits. Price is usually a factor in quality, and there is no exception here. If you want to spend top dollar, around $380, you can get a camera with a 7 mp rating. Want more? Spend $650 and you can get high definition. On the low end, you can spend $90 for a camera with 2 mp. The surveillance systems give 1.3 mp for $600. A still camera that provides 1.3 mp is $450. From what other owners have told me, cameras with 4 megapixels get the job done well and more megapixels does better. No surprise there.
How Tough?
How tough does a trail camera have to be? The quality of the lens is always important, as is the overall performance of a camera. Trail cameras are forced to endure some tough times. They get rained on, caught in high winds, bounced around, and worse. Look for a camera with a solid encasement.
One complaint I have heard of often is the attachment system between some cameras and their source of stability, which is usually a tree. Many users have experienced broken straps. I suggest that you look each camera you are considering over closely to see that their means of attachment will be dependable. You don’t want a $400 camera falling into a trail only to be walked on by a moose.
Won’t Someone Steal The Camera?
It could happen. Containers are made to protect cameras from pawing bears and such, but I doubt that any of the protection against humans would be effective. The best means of security is concealment. Get creative with some natural cover and make the camera housing melt into the background.
What’s The Difference Between IR Cameras and cameras with Flashes?
Price is the first difference that you may notice. It is common for cameras with white flash to cost less than infrared (IR) flash. The reason is simple. When a common flash fires, animals can see the light. When an IR flash fires, the beam is not visible to the animal. Smart, old animals will quickly learn to avoid areas that flash at them.
The distance that a flash covers varies greatly with trail cameras. An average distance is probably 35-40 feet. Some only reach out to 20 feet and others go out to 60 feet. The one I ordered covers 50 feet with an IR flash.
What Else Should I Look For In The Comparison Of Trail Cameras?
When I started looking for a good trail camera I figured it couldn’t be too tough for a pro photographer to pick out a viable camera. Let me tell you, trail cameras are not as easy to decide on as a Canon 5D MarkII.
My quest took me to 25 different trail cameras. Of these, there were 10 different brands. I had my work cut out for me. A lot of information was available through Internet searches. The best overall comparison I found for trail cameras was at Cabelas. Check out the list below to see some other features to consider when buying a trail camera:
Power Source How Many Batteries Are Needed? Does The Unit Offer Video Options? Can The Camera Be Powered By A Solar Panel? Does The Camera Have Built-In Memory? If so, how much? (16-32 mb is common). Will I Have A Viewer Built Into The Camera? What Is the Unit’s Memory Card Capacity? How Fast Can The Camera Fire? How Many Bursts Can The Camera Shoot? At What Temperature Ranges Can The Camera Function? What Do You Get As A Warranty? And, Of Course, How Much Does The Camera Cost?
There You Have It.
Well, there you have it. You can spend less than $100 or more than $700 for a camera. There are a few good ones available for less than $200. Until you start spending upwards of $225, don’t expect a lot of bells and whistles or long-term toughness.
I spent a lot of time compiling all of this information is my search for a suitable trail camera. Hopefully, you will find the data useful. If you enjoy wildlife photography, a trail camera might be your best next investment
Life is good when seen through a Canon® L lens.
R. Dodge Woodson